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Designing Dementia-Friendly Outdoor Environments
Designing Dementia-Friendly Outdoor Environments
Checklist of characteristics of
dementia-friendly neighbourhoods
A familiar environment
o Places and buildings are long established with any change being small-scale and incremental
o Architectural features and street furniture are in designs familiar to or easily understood by
older people
A legible environment
o There is a hierarchy of street types, such as main streets, side streets, alleyways and passages
o Blocks are small and laid out on an irregular grid based on an adapted perimeter block pattern
o Streets are well connected and gently winding with open ended bends to enable visual continuity
o Latent cues are positioned where visual access ends, especially at decision points, such as
junctions and turnings
o Signs have large graphics with realistic symbols in clear colour contrast to the background,
preferably dark lettering on a light background
o Signs locating important places and buildings are perpendicular to the wall
A distinctive environment
o Urban and building form is varied
o There is a variety of landmarks including historic and civic buildings, distinctive structures and
places of activity
o There is a variety of welcoming open spaces, including squares, parks and playgrounds
o There is a variety of aesthetic and practical features, such as trees and street furniture
An accessible environment
o Land uses are mixed
o Services and facilities are within 5-10 minutes walking distance of housing
o Gates/doors have no more than 2kg of pressure to open and have lever handles
A comfortable environment
o The outdoor environment is welcoming and unintimidating
o Urban areas have small, well-defined open spaces with toilets, seating, shelter and lighting
o There are quiet side roads as alternative routes away from crowds/traffic
o Some footpaths are tree-lined or pedestrianised to offer protection from heavy traffic
o Street clutter, such as a plethora of signs, advertising hoardings and bollards is minimal
o Seating is sturdy with arm and back rests and in materials that do not conduct heat or cold
A safe environment
o Footways are wide, well maintained and clean
o Pedestrian crossings have audible cues at a pitch and timing suitable for older people
o Paving is plain and non-reflective in clear colour and textural contrast to walls
o Trees close to footways have narrow leaves that do not stick to paving when wet
o Spaces and buildings are oriented to avoid creating areas of dark shadow or bright glare
o Level changes are clearly marked and well lit with handrails and non-slip, non-glare surfaces
Neighbourhoods for Life
Designing
dementia-friendly
outdoor environments
A Findings Leaflet by
Elizabeth Burton,
Lynne Mitchell
and Shibu Raman
Neighbourhoods for Life
Designing dementia-friendly outdoor environments
The Wellbeing in Sustainable Environments Research Unit of the Oxford Institute for Sustainable
Development has recently concluded a three-year research project, funded by the Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council’s EQUAL programme, examining how the outside environment could be made
dementia-friendly. This unprecedented research investigated the perceptions, experiences and use of the
outdoor environment by older people with dementia and identified design factors that influence their ability
to successfully use and negotiate their local neighbourhoods. The findings have enabled the researchers to
provide some preliminary guidance for designers, at all scales from urban design to street furniture, on the
criteria to consider in developing dementia-friendly urban areas.
Forty-five ambulant people aged 65 or over, living at Participants described experiencing many different
home or in sheltered accommodation and still using emotions when in the outdoor environment, from
the outdoor environment, participated in the feeling happy or comfortable to boredom or anxiety.
research. Twenty were also in the mild to moderate However, the majority said that they enjoy going out,
stages of dementia, with a Mini-Mental State although some are anxious about being out at night or
Examination score of between 8 and 20. in unfamiliar places. Comments such as “the world
belongs to me for that time” and “I feel in charge of
All participants were interviewed to determine their myself” demonstrate the importance of getting
perceptions and use of the outside environment. outdoors for their self-respect and independence. In
Many were also accompanied on short walks within general, participants enjoyed the accompanied walks.
their local neighbourhood to record their wayfinding None of the participants without dementia showed
techniques and the environmental features that signs of anxiety, confusion or fear. However, around
appear to help or hinder them. The environmental half those with dementia were anxious or confused
characteristics of participants’ local neighbourhood when they were unsure of the route or distracted by
were also measured. sudden noises.
How older people with dementia Dementia-friendly outdoor
understand the outdoor environment environments
When interviewed, fewer participants with dementia Our findings show that there are six major
said that they sometimes lose their way than those requirements for outdoor environments to be
without dementia; however, carers confirmed that a dementia-friendly: they need to be familiar, legible,
higher number of participants with dementia get lost. distinctive, accessible, comfortable and safe. Our
On the accompanied walks, none of the people preliminary recommendations for meeting these six
without dementia and one-third of participants with requirements are presented in a checklist at the end
dementia lost the way. of the leaflet.
People with dementia often struggle to interpret the In summary, however, dementia-friendly local
cues that signal the use of buildings, the location of neighbourhoods tend to be mixed use with a
entrances, the behaviour that is expected in different hierarchy of street types, varied urban form and a
places or the intentions of people around them. The variety of landmarks and environmental features in
participants with dementia are able to understand designs familiar to or easily understood by older
places, streets, buildings and features that are in people. They have welcoming open spaces and
designs recognisable to older people. It appears that short, well-connected, gently winding streets with
style (whether traditional or modern) is less good visual access. Footpaths are wide with
important than clarity of function and use. They also smooth, plain, non-slip, non-reflective paving. Signs
continue to remember features that they encounter are simple and explicit and located at decision
on a regular basis. points, such as road crossings and junctions.